Inquest called into superjail death
A coroner’s inquest has been called into the death of a 30-yearold mentally ill inmate at the Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay late last year, the Ministry of Correctional Services and Community Safety announced Friday.
An inquest is mandatory under the Coroners Act when inmates die while in custody.
Dr. Paul Dungey, the regional supervising coroner for the ministry’s east region, Kingston Office, called the inquest Friday after the City of Kawartha Lakes Police wrapped up its investigation into the death of Soleiman Faqiri, who died Dec. 15 at the Lindsay superjail.
The inquest will examine the events surrounding his death, according to a release from the ministry.
No date or location has been set yet for the inquest.
The inquest jury will be asked to make recommendations aimed at preventing similar deaths.
Faqiri was pronounced dead at the Lindsay superjail after an interaction with correctional workers in a segregation cell.
The City of Kawartha Lakes Police interviewed witnesses and worked with the Office of the Chief Coroner and the Ontario Forensic Pathology Services in conducting their investigation.
The investigation concluded no charges are warranted against anyone involved in Faqiri’s death, police announced Monday.
The Faqiri family in Ajax has been looking for answers ever since his death and have said he had schizophrenia.
Faqiri, who went to high school in Pickering, was in custody after being charged Dec. 4 with two counts of aggravated assault, one count of assault and another count of uttering threats of death and bodily harm. He was in the superjail awaiting a mental health assessment.
Peterborough activist Carol Winter, who died Oct. 19 at the age of 75, wrote her final letter to the editor to The Examiner about the circumstances of Faqiri’s death.
NOTE: Warkworth Institution placed on lockdown,
WARKWORTH - The Warkworth Institution medium-security federal prison near Campbellford is under lockdown after an inmate was assaulted Wednesday night.
The inmate was found injured at about 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Correctional Services Canada spokesman Kyle Lawlor stated.
He was evaluated by Warkworth staff members and then taken to an outside hospital for treatment.
The assailant has been identified, but Correctional Services Canada has not said what specific actions have been taken with the assailant.
Ontario Provincial Police and Correctional Services Canada are continuing their investigation into the attack.
Correctional Services Canada did not say if a weapon was used in the attack, but the warden ordered a lockdown and an “exceptional” search of the entire facility.
“Normal operations will resume when it is considered safe to do so,” Lawlor stated.
The lockdown may affect regularly scheduled visits. Visitors are asked to contact the institution directly over planned visits.